“The HydroPack is the size of envelope with a folded letter tucked inside. Toss it into water — fetid, scary-looking stuff for the full effect — and, after 8 to 12 hours, the thing bulges like a blowfish, engorged with 12 ounces of clean, nutrient-fortified water. Advocates say it’s a better solution to solving immediate clean-water needs in disaster areas than the more expensive — but more typical — option of shipping bottled water bottle.

“It’s a good example of new materials leading to new solutions with high design content,” says Nels Gabbert, a member of DesignForum/PDX, a nonprofit created a couple of years ago to draw attention to the area’s design industry and lay the groundwork for more design companies.”